Shaking Up The Bar at Starchefs International Chefs Congress 2014

This is the latest post in our 2014-2015 Starchefs International Chefs Congress series on in-sight.

Mixologists are comfortably bartenders, again – another “honest” proclamation that was heralded at the 9th Annual StarChefs.com International Chefs Congress (www.starchefs.com/cook/events/icc/2014/wrap-up) where gins, rums, bourbons, bitters, whiskies and syrups reigned supreme during the annual “Congress Cocktail.”

Each bartender had his own riff on what he/she likes to play with. There was a lot of talk around sours, including the ultra-niche craft beer market, as well as tweaking cocktails with new kinds of syrups (habanero got a shout out from the Simply Syrup folks for its increasing popularity).

Bitters and herbs also had their fans. Sother Teague of Amor y Amargo says he’s staked his whole bar around bitters and could talk about the importance of how they add intensity and flavor to a cocktail long into the night. His ode to bespoke cocktails played into the event’s “authenticity” theme with a hark to traditional ways, yet with modern touches and yes, a whole lot of shaking.

For Alan Water of Loa at the International House in New Orleans, his inspiration lies with fresh herbs, citrus, and different leaves. On a given night he has about 20 or so surrounding him at a time, from ginger to a Serrano pepper to a rose petal to help add that certain dash to a drink.

Of the trends discussed, Maxwell Britten of Maison Premiere says he’s seeing a boon in the gin movement, mostly around artisanal brands. Personally, he tends to favor “old world style” cocktails which often means adding a modern twist like homemade tinctures and syrups, infusions, batters, and foams.

Jillian Vose, Head Bartender at The Dead Rabbit in Brooklyn, spoke about building a drink that highlights the spirit, without overwhelming it with too many ingredients or flavors. Tonia Guffey of Dram agreed that paring down recipes to include things that truly contribute to the balance and the flavor of a cocktail is best. She’s seeing a spike in brown spirits like cognac, aged rum, and scotch, but also sees a surge in whiskies. “For me,” she says, “It’s all about playing around with different combinations and having fun.”